Such head protection devices and respirator device are known from the state of the art. If a person is using a head protection device, at least the person's facial area is protected by the head protection device or the visor belonging to it. Visors are likewise known, in principle, from the state of the art. A visor may have, for example, a frame as well as a transparent pane, which extends between portions of the frame and is preferably arched. The disk is preferably designed as a plastic disk.
The visor is fastened rotatably to a head bracket of the head protection device. A swivel joint each, which is used for said fastening to the head bracket, may be arranged for this at opposite end sections of the visor. The visor can be folded relative to the head bracket with the swivel joints for rotating or pivoting, for example, from a closed state, in which said facial area is protected, into an open state, in which the visor is folded away from the face. Provisions are made in this connection for the head protection device to be able to be fastened on the head of the person using the head protection device by means of the head bracket. Various embodiments of head brackets are known from the state of the art. For example, the head bracket may thus be formed by a plastic strap, especially an adjustable plastic strap. As an alternative or in addition, the heat bracket may be associated with a helmet shell. The helmet shell may be, for example, a half shell, a full shell or a helmet of another design. The helmet would also be a part of the head bracket in this case. Provisions are consequently made for the head protection device to pertain to both masks with a head bracket and with a visor as well as to helmets with a visor. The term masks shall be defined broadly in the sense of the present invention.
A protective mask with a head bracket and with a visor is known, for example, from DE 41 91 244 T1. The visor has a frame, which supports an extent of an eye-protecting lens. Lateral openings, which are designed as elongated holes and via which fresh air introduced into the frame through a connecting branch flows, directed against the eye-protecting lens, are provided in the frame.
If fresh air is caused to flow into a space between the visor and the face exclusively through lateral openings in the frame of the visor, it was observed in practice that this may lead to a feeling of high velocities of flow, especially in the areas of the nose, in a person using such a head protection device. A branched air duct for head protection devices is known for reducing the velocity of flow at the outlet openings. The branched air duct has one air inlet and a plurality of air outlets. The air may be admitted, for example, in the area of the head protection device corresponding to the back of the head. The air is ducted in this case from the area corresponding to the back of the head to the area corresponding to the forehead. It is there that the air outlets are arranged. At least one of the air outlets is arranged as a forehead air outlet at an upper section of the visor. The forehead air outlet is not necessarily arranged for this at the visor itself. The forehead air outlet may rather be designed such that it is at the person's forehead or at the upper area of the forehead. The air flowing out of the forehead air outlet can thus flow against the upper area of the inner side of the visor and/or in parallel thereto into the space between the visor and the face. An air outlet may be formed, in principle, by at least one opening but preferably a plurality of openings. The direction of flow from the openings of an air outlet may be directed obliquely in relation to one another in a limited range of angles. This range of angles may be, for example, 25°. In addition, at least one of the air outlets is arranged as a chin air outlet at a lateral section of the visor. The at least one chin air outlet is likewise not necessarily fastened to the visor. However, it may preferably be fastened to the visor. Furthermore, it is preferred that at least two chin air outlets are provided, which are arranged, located opposite each other, at the chin area of a person, who may optionally use the head protection device. Air flows through each of the chin air outlets in the direction of the inner side of the visor, which inner side is located opposite the chin of the aforementioned person. If, for example, one forehead air outlet and two chin air outlets, which are located opposite each other, are provided for the head protection device, fresh air flows into an area between the visor and the face of the person using the head protection device from three different directions. Such an air inflow is perceived by said person with markedly reduced disturbances in the facial area.
Such an embodiment of a head protection device can be seen, for example, in WO 2008/118768 A1. The branched air duct is a rigid air duct. This means that the air always flows at the same position through the corresponding air ducts into the space between the visor and the face of the person who is using the head protection device.
To make possible the best possible mechanical protection of the face, the visor is preferably to be arranged close to the face of the person who may be using the head protection device. Therefore, there is a conflict with the branched air duct or the air outlets, which are preferably likewise in the vicinity of the face. Prior-art head protection devices therefore often require a large space for construction in order to ensure that both the visor can be arranged close to the face and the air is discharged from the air outlets as close to the face as possible.